Microvision: Partners with Intel to Showcase Advances in PC Gaming Technology (Part 3)

This is what Ben Averch of Microvision said in his post at Microvision blog The Displayland....

“As you can see from the video above, Microvision has designed a unique handheld first-person shooter projection game controller prototype that uses the PicoP display engine to project images on any surface. Using the infinite focus capability of the PicoP display engine, combined with a motion sensing module, it’s now possible to play video games on multiple surfaces, all while tracking your character’s point of view in 3D space.”

Here’s the link...
http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?p=1277#more-1277

First of all, it is important to note that the worldwide market for video games exceeds $50 billion and Microvision is addressing, to start with, the first-person shooter game sub-genre.

There are several video game genres (vague categories) based on their gameplay interaction rather than visual or narrative differences. A video game genre is defined by a set of gameplay challenges. They are classified independent of their setting or game-world content. For example, an action game is still an action game, regardless of whether it takes place in a fantasy world or outer space.

Here’s a list of video game genres...
1. Action Games
2. Action-adventure Games
3. Aventure Games
4. Role-playing Games
5. Simulation Games
6. Sports Games
7. Strategy Games
8. 3D Interactive Projection Games?????

A shooter game [an Action Game genre] focuses primarily on combat involving projectile weapons, such as guns and missiles. They can be divided into first-person and third-person shooters, depending on the camera perspective.

First-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre which centers the gameplay around gun - and projectile weapon- based combat through the first person persoective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist [the player]. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other shooter games, which in turn fall under the heading Action Games.

From the Action Game genre's inception, advanced 3D or pseudo-3D graphics elements have challenged hardware development. But that may change soon, with the arrival of always-in-focus pico “projection game controller” from Microvision.

Ben goes-on further to say...

“At Intel Extreme Masters, we’ll be putting this prototype projection game controller into the hands of some of the world’s best gamers, playing the ultra-realistic combat simulation PC game “Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising”. We think the PicoP gaming application is an exciting new way to take first-person shooter games to the next level of interactivity and immersion, and it will be great to hear first hand what championship-level gamers think about it.”

Like most shooter games, first person shooters involve an avatar [alter ego], one or more ranged weapon, and a varying number of enemies. Because they take place in a 3D environment, these games tend to be somewhat more realistic than 2D shooter games, and have more accurate representations of gravity, lighting, sound and collisions. First person shooters played on personal computers are most often controlled with a combination of a keyboard and mouse. This system is often considered superior to that found in console games, which frequently use two analog sticks, one used for running and sidestepping, the other for looking and aiming. It is common to display the character's hands and weaponry in the main view, with a head up disply showing health, ammunition and location details. Often, it is possible to overlay a map of the surrounding area.

But all that is about to change; with the introduction of Microvision’s projection game controller...

Here’s the news...

Microvision Demo’s Projection Game Controller

http://www.techgadgets.in/gaming/2009/12/microvision-demos-projection-game-controller/
[Link may not work]

At the end of the article, it says...

“The projector game controller may unleash a new genre of gaming”

Keep an eye on the history books; Microvision is on its way to write the next few pages of the future. Here’s the link to The History of Computer Games...

http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/History-of-computer-games#The_2000s

In closing, I must re-state...

“Microvision’s weapon-styled projection game controller will offer gamers an insight of a new technology that projects a follow-you-anywhere video image upto 200-inch via a handheld game controller.”

Interestingly, you don’t need green lasers to produce the first generation of “projection game controllers”.

Ready, set, go... let the games begin!

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/